Who Owns the Rights?

How much control should content creators have over their product? Does this include Voice-Actors?

If you’re one of the 100-million-or-so people who uses Instagram to casually post your pictures socially online, then you may want to know about this.

Instagram is making policy changes that will allow them to take ownership over images that pass through their portal.

It’s subtly stated in a the new terms of service (TOS): “…”A business or other entity may pay” Instagram to display users’ photos and other details “in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you.” The policy is set to take effect Jan 16th.

Reaction was swift and nearly unanimously negative on Tuesday.

In a move to stem the tide of revolt, Instagram founder Kevin Systrom wrote: “Instagram does not claim any ownership rights over your photos,” he wrote. “We respect that your photos are your photos. Period.”

It’d be hard not to link this issue with the rights of content-providers anywhere, including the work we do as voice-actors. Also authors, musicians, artists, etc. It’s changing world, and getting harder and harder to hold on to what’s creatively yours, but if we don’t push for maintaining the rights to our own work, who will?